One Soul at a Time
by Takara Phoenix
Summary: Taking place after episode 2x13, which means spoilers! Magnus and Alec reflect on the day's events with each other and talk some more, waiting for Jace to get home. Magnus/Alec/Jace slashy threesome


Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace || One Soul at a Time || Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace

Title: One Soul at a Time – Family and Comfort

Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters reserved to Ed Decter, the books the Shadowhunters is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: shounen-ai, polyamory (threesome), fluff, hurt/comfort

Main Pairing: Magnus/Alec/Jace

Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan Christopher 'Jace' Wayland, Magnus Bane, Alexander Gideon 'Alec' Lightwood

Summary: Set after episode 2x13 "Those of Demon Blood"! Magnus was a one soul at a time kind of guy and the soul he was in love with right now happened to belong to two very stubborn Shadowhunters. The boys meet up at the loft to talk about what they went through that day.

 **One Soul at a Time**

 _Family and Comfort_

Magnus was frowning thoughtfully as he looked into his glass of water. He couldn't only blame it on the alcohol and the 'heat of the moment'. Even for that, _something_ had to be there. He wasn't quite sure if he should tell his Shadowhunters about the encounter. He knew he was to blame too, in a way. Instead of pushing Alec away, he should have relied on his boyfriend. Instead of opening up to Dorothea, he should have opened up to Alec and Jace. They were trying. Magnus knew they were trying to help him, but Alec was rather hopeless and Jace had never been quite good with dealing with emotions. It had been easier to talk to Dorothea, because she was not that close. Not as close as the men he loved. Still, this couldn't possibly be how things were going to be from now on.

"Magnus...", started Alec softly as he approached from behind.

Magnus offered him a faint smile. Alec was weary. Tentative. Like Magnus was a hurt animal. It was probably why Magnus had been pulling away to begin with, because ever since the body switch disaster had ended, Alec had been looking at Magnus with this mixture of guilt and worry that just really didn't sit right with the High Warlock. To have Alec walk in here earlier and ask for Magnus' DNA, it had been like a stab. Logically speaking, Magnus knew that Alec had meant well, that Alec had done what he thought was right. After all, even if Magnus had Alec's full trust, that did mean nothing to the Clave and the inquisitor. Having physical evidence to clear Magnus' name, that was what put the Clave at ease and it would also reassure Alec in the knowledge that Magnus would be fine, that Magnus would not be treated like a suspect.

"I shouldn't have been so harsh on you earlier, darling", sighed Magnus after a long moment. "I know why you asked for my hair. I know you just... worry. And I also know you're _very bad_ at dealing with your own worries. I'm just... a little stressed right now."

"Yeah. I know", grunted Alec as he wrapped his arms around Magnus from behind and rested his head on Magnus' shoulder. "We all are. This... whole thing... Just everything, it's... We need to find the Mortal Cup. We need to disband the Circle. And maybe then, we'll get some... peace."

"That sounds like quite the fantasy, Alexander", chuckled Magnus humorlessly.

"Let me dream", huffed Alec. "I just... I would love to come to you for you more often, instead of always having to ask for your help in some kind of way."

"I know", whispered Magnus with a small smile. "I've... decided that I'm going to contact an old friend of mine. A warlock psychiatrist. I feel like, after... It would be nice to have someone to talk to. Someone who isn't you or Jace. Someone... with a bit more distance."

Alec nodded slowly and sighed. "I... get that. Yeah. That's... it's a good plan, Mag."

Magnus hummed softly in agreement. It was a good plan. Magnus didn't want for it to eat away on him for years once again. And talking to Dorothea had helped, in a way. Even though the excessive alcohol consume would not be healthy or good on the long run.

"Say, where is Jonathan?", inquired Magnus with a frown as he leaned against Alec's chest.

"On an official mission from the new head of the Institute", replied Alec, with a bit of pride.

Magnus frowned a little. "I feel like I'm missing something here, Alexander."

"The inquisitor left for Idris", started Alec slowly. "She... appointed Jace to be acting head of the Institute. And he... tried. Tried bending left and right, doing what would be best for the Shadowhunters, best for the Downworlders, what would make his new grandmother proud, what would help protect everyone... But following Imogen Herondale was not the way to go. I think... I think he was afraid of the responsibility. His first order of business was to appoint _me_ acting head of the Institute. And I, well, I sent him out to remove the chips from those Downworlders who... who had been chipped on the inquisitor's orders. It's not... the way. I'm glad we could resolve things fast, but... if this had gone on longer... We were _cornered_. For the first time, I _saw_ what cornered Shadowhunters are willing to do and it... I think it frightened us all."

Magnus sighed as he turned around to look at Alec, gently cupping the archer's cheek. "And _that_ is what is important. You, Jace, Isabelle and Clary. You realized it was wrong and you acted against it. The most dangerous thing is to fall in line. To blindly obey orders." Alec averted his eyes in guilt and Magnus could practically taste the apology ready to spill from Alec's lips, so Magnus decided to capture them first and silence them with a gentle kiss. "It will be alright, Alexander."

"Now that. That sounds good", grunted Jace from behind them, startling Magnus a little.

"Ah. Now, there's our golden boy", chuckled Magnus, opening his arms for the blonde.

Jace heaved a deep sigh and eagerly slipped into the awaiting arms of his warlock. Magnus placed a gentle kiss on Jace's forehead while Alec wrapped his arms around them both, pulling them close enough so Alec could rest his chin on Jace's head, making his parabatai grunt softly.

"Whatever I do, it's never the right thing", whispered Jace, barely audible as he had his face buried in Magnus' chest. "I try destroying the Soul Sword. I activate it and kill dozens. I try doing right by the Shadowhunters and get beaten up by Maia and screamed at by Clary. Like I didn't know this wasn't the _ideal_ solution. Excuse me for not knowing all the answers. I'm _trying_. I'm... trying."

"I know, sweetheart", whispered Magnus gently, tilting Jace's head so he could kiss the blonde. "We're... all just trying. What's important is that _we_ try our best _together_."

And yes, they were. They were all just trying their best, trying to somehow survive. The problem was that they didn't communicate enough, that they weren't trying the same thing, at the same time, _together_. Jace turned a little and leaned up to steal a kiss from Alec too.

"I feel... used", admitted Jace softly, holding onto both his boyfriends. "I feel like the inquisitor is just using me to execute her will. But... But then she went and..." Jace's voice became very quiet as he leaned into his parabatai and rested his forehead against Alec's chest. "She told me about them. My parents. Not much, but... but at least _something_. And I just... I want more. I had hoped she would be able to take more than two minutes time for us to talk. For... For her to show interest in how _I_ have been doing. _Who_ I am. All... I want is... a family..."

Magnus heaved a deep sigh and buried his fingers in the soft, blonde hair, gently pulling Jace into a hug. He understood that feeling, he understood it so well. Especially after what he had been going through with the agony rune. It had made him remember, remember the lonely little orphan he used to be. Made him feel that way again. Now, when he looked into those sad, large mismatched eyes of his blonde Shadowhunter, he saw that same lonely little orphan. Sometimes, behind all the cockiness and attitude, Magnus forgot that Jace was just a lonely little orphan himself.

"You have a family", reminded Magnus, not just Jace but also himself. "We have each other. You, me, Alexander. Isabelle, Simon, Clary. If I remember that right, you did go to talk to your _sister_."

Jace huffed with the smallest smile, nuzzling into Magnus' neck. "Yeah. You know, when I went to take the tracker out of Maia, who is _still_ a major bitch by the way but what else is new, Clary kinda bullied me into staying and listening to Simon's music. He's not bad; don't tell him I said that." Jace paused for a second, his smile growing a little. "It was nice, just sitting with Clary, talking and laughing. Yeah. It was good to talk to her. I... like having her as a sister."

A pleased smile found its way onto Magnus' lips as he started caressing Jace's neck. "See. You don't need to _cling_ onto the idea of being a Herondale or having a grandmother. I'm not telling you to turn your back on her; she is your blood. She is your connection to your parents. But... don't just blindly swallow whatever she tells you for the sake of pleasing her, Jonathan. You're better than that. You have good instincts and a fair mind; don't lose sight of what matters the most."

"We're a mess", grunted Alec and shook his head.

"Yes, quite", agreed Magnus. "But at least we have each other, don't we?"

He smiled, a genuine smile, as he took both his Shadowhunters by the hands. What he had said to Dorothea was right, he truly did love them. He truly was a one soul at a time kind of guy; it just so happened that the soul he loved was split into two Shadowhunters. And he loved them both so much. Even when he was agitated or angry with them, even when they infuriated him with their actions, their short-sight, even then he wouldn't trade them for the world.

"Let's go to bed. It's been... a long and exhausting day. Again", sighed Magnus.

"We're definitely having too many of those", grunted Alec displeased as the threesome made their way over to their bedroom. "And I have the feeling that it's not getting better."

"With Max now training to become a Shadowhunter? Under Isabelle? You bet", snorted Jace before pausing. "Alec... How... How long have you known about Izzy?"

Magnus raised an eyebrow at the guilty look on Alec's face as he averted his eyes. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't notice at first. And then so much was going on. You were still dealing with the trauma from your stay with Valentine and in the City of Bones and the incident with the Soul Sword. I didn't..."

"Didn't want to _burden_ me?", snorted Jace, looking angry and then incredibly sad. "I just... we... we _are_ family. I thought. And you two, you should have _trusted_ me with this."

"Now, now. I think we've had enough guilt and heavy conversations for one night", interrupted Magnus as he raised one hand, looking seriously from one to the other. "Yes, Alexander should have told you about Isabelle's addiction, but his... judgment has been clouded with the whole matter. Let's blame it on his insane worries for Isabelle; it's what I did when he blamed me for her relationship with Raphael. I'm sure nothing he did regarding Isabelle was meant to hurt either of us."

He leveled a glare at Alec, who had the decency to look sheepish. Magnus knew not to take Alec's outburst personal, back when Alec had learned about the addiction. There was a special, short-tempered side to Alec and it kicked in whenever one of his were in danger. It had been the exact same thing when Jace had been abducted by Valentine. Magnus sighed as the three of them climbed into bed together, Jace laying down on one of Magnus' side and still pout-glaring at Alec.

"Can we like still make him sleep on the couch or something as punishment?", asked Jace.

Magnus laughed as he ran his fingers through Jace's hair. "You may chose a punishment for him. But not one that removes him from this bed, please. Be reasonable; no need to punish _us_."

"...Good point", nodded Jace with a frown before he aimed a wicked grin at Alec. "I... I want to tell Clary about _us_. The three of us. She's been nagging me all evening about my mysterious partner. Again. So. Double-date. The three of us and Clary and Simon. No glaring allowed, Alec."

"That sounds reasonable", agreed Magnus mischievously, smiling pleased while Alec glared.

This was it. They were his. He knew he would be fine, as long as he had his Shadowhunters.

 _~*~ The End ~*~_

* * *

 _Author's note: I think I kind of gave up on trying not to make this A Thing. I just... When Dorothea tried to kiss Magnus and Magnus said he was a "one soul at a time kind of guy", I got hung up on that phrasing. Not one person, even though that would have still included the variety of races and genders, but one soul. And parabatai, what was that, are two halves of the same soul, right? :D  
_

 _Anyway, I decided to make this into a series, so let's pretend these season 2B related oneshots are connected - and I know that's questionable since the first one in the series kinda eliminated the body-switch, but just... pretend that somehow, the demon still got in and it still happened even though they used logic and thinking to get Isabelle back?_

 _So, yeah. The only thing I really needed to change about this episode was that ridiculous Jace/Maia at the end. For fuck's sake, she beat you up earlier this episode. She tried to kill you earlier this season. Please. Try having sooome kind of standard. Instead of sleeping with Maia, Jace went inside and sat with Clary while listening to Simon before returning home to Magnus and Alec~_

 _And the oneshot for next episode is definitely going to feature Clary and Simon learning about the threesome on that double-date where Alec will be forbidden from being grumpy ;3_


End file.
